Self-lighting attachment for lamps.



PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

s'. M. MEYER. SELF LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED NOV,18, 1904 RENEWED SEPT. 11,1905.

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SVEND MARTIN MEYER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE C. BATCHELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SELF LiGHTlNG ATTACHMENT FOR LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed November 18,1904. Renewed Se tember 11, 1905. Serial No. 278,037-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SVEND MARTIN MEYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State ol New York, have invented a new and Improved Self- Lightiifg Attachment for Lamps, of which the following is a specificatron.

The subject of my invention is an electrical lighting" attachment primarily designed for application to oil-lamps and consisting of an incandescirg coil or the like mounted in proximity to the wick in such manner that after it has accomplished its p1,: rpose in. igiiitirg the wi ck the heat from the flame will automatically CiLlTSG the incandescing' coil to retire from the flame, so as to be protected against in'iiry therel'rom.

My invention relates also to other im- PIOVCIIIGIIS and details hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an oil-lamp with my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the lamp-brrrer and lightirg device, on a larger scale, showirg a modification in the manner of mounting the insulatezl i11- canclescing coil in the battery-circiiit and etlectiztg its automatic removal from the flame by the heat of the latter. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, also on a larger scale, illustrating a modification in the manuallyoperated device for closing the electric circtit in order to light the lamp. 1 4 is a detail end view of the same. F 1g. 5 is an end View, also on a larger scale, of a pair of dry batteries, showinga novel device for retainirig the same in position and permittirg their ready removal. F 6 is a detail longitudi nal section of the same.

Referring to Fig. 1, R represents the reservoir, B the base, and the wick-tube, of a cor tor-draft oil-lamp of common form. a

X X represelit a pair of dry batteries mounted removably ill the base of the lamp. From one pole of these conzcctcd batteries rises an insulated rod or wire 1, connected at top to a plate or hanger 2, which is mechanically attached at top to the cone or burner C of the lamp-burner through the mcdium of an insulating-body 3, of mica or other suitable material.

On the insulated hanger 2 is mounted a wire or ribbon 4 of helical form, made of a suitable metal or alley, or preferably of two combined strips of metals having difl'erent expanding properties, so that the said helix will expand l'reely under the influence of heat. The outer end of the expanding; helix 4 is connected to a metal shell or short tube 5, containing a body 6, of insulating material.

From the shell 5 projects upward a rod 7, supporting one end of an incandescing coil 8, of iridirm, platinum, or other suitable metal, adapted to become incandescent by passage of the electric current and to resist oxidation. The other end of the incandescing coil 8 is connected to a rod 9, extending downward through the insulating-body 6, and thereby insulated from the shell 5. The rod .9 terminates below in a supporting-coil 10,

attached to the wick-tube W, and thereby electrically connected with the body of the lamp and with a contactspring 11, which when the circuit is to be closed is pressed by a prsh-biitton 12 into contact with an insulated plate 13, connected by a conductingwire 14 with the opposite pole of the battery. The pi rpose of the supporting-coil 10 is to support the iiicandescirg coil 8 in proper proximity to the lamp-wick w when the ln rner is cold and the wick at a proper height for lightin and also to permit the automatic movement of the insulated shell 5, so as to remove the incandescilig' coil 8 out of reach oi the flame when the Wick is ignited.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the conducting-rod 1 is connected to the central rod 9 ol the igniting device and provided with a coil 17 to permit the vertical movement of the shell 5. The central rod 9 is insulated from the shell 5, as before, so that the current passes throrgh the incandescirg coil 8 to the rod 7, which in this form of the device is, together with the expanding helix 4, in electrical connection with the biirlier and bod y of the lamp. This connection from the shell 5 may be made throi'gh a guide-rod 15 thereon sliding in a hanger 16, depending.

from the cone C.

The operation of the device as thus far described is astollows: The wick being adjusted at proper height, when it is desired to light the lamp pushing the button 12 closes the electric circuit and the current flowing through the iridium coil 8 causes this to become incandescent, and this being in proper proximity to the top of the wick instantly ignites the same. The heat from the burner then causes expansion of the helix 4 and the consequent depression of the free end thereof, which carries down the shell 5, connected thereto, thereby removing the incandescing coil 8 from the flame of the burner, and it will be so held out of reach of the flame so long as the lamp is burning. When the lamp is extinguished, the cooling and consequent (2-01-- traction of the helix 4 automatically restores the shell 5 and incandescing coil 8 carried thereby to lighting position.

A modification in the circuit-closing device is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. In this illustration instead of the ordinary push-button shown in Fig. 1 I employ a rock-shaft 18, mounted in an insulating-bearing 19 in the shank or base of the lamp and carrying on its inner end an eccentric 20, which by a partial rotation of the rock-shaft is pressed against an elastic contact-plate 21 on the lower end of the conducting-rod 1. This rock-shaft is electrically connected with one pole of the battery by a wire 22 and is turned in one direction by means of an external finger-arm 23 to make contact and when released is returned to normal position by a spring 2 1 to break the circuit.

My improved mode of mounting the batteries in the base of the lamp and providing for their ready removal is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The batteries X X rest at one end in a cradle 25 of common form in the base of the lamp and are supported at the other end on the projecting ends of a pair of horizontal screws 26, formed with very quick threads turning in fixed nuts or threads in separate metal bars 27 28, fixed by screws 29 to a stationary bar 30 of insulating material which is permanently attached to the base of the lamp by screws 31. On the rocking screws 26 are keyed oscillatory vertical arms 32 33, pivoted by their lower ends at 34 to a horizontal bar 35 of insulating material formed with a projecting thiimb-piece 36 for moving it to the right or left. When in the operative position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the upper end of the oscillatory arm 32 rests in electrical contact with the carb on of the battery X and the upper end of the oscillatory arm 33 in electrical contact with a metal cap 37 supported on insulation 39 and connected by a plate or wire 38 with the zinc ol' the battery X. suitable conducting plate or wire 40 connects the zinc of the battery X with the carbon of the battery X.

In operation the bar 27 is electrically connected with the body of the lamp and the bar 28 with the insulated conducting-rod 1, or vice versa, either directly or through the medium of a suitable circuit-closing device, such, for example, as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 3. When the contact-bars 32 33 are deflected from the vertical position shown by manipulation of the shifting bar 35, the batteries are thrown out of circuit, and by the same movement the supporting-screws 26 are re tracted, so as to release the batteries and permit their ready removal.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an electric lighting'device for lamps, the combination of a suitable source of electricity-conducting wires and means for closing and breaking the electric circuit therethrough, a lighting medium in said electric circuit and a thermal device expansible by heat derived from the lamp flame and connecting means between the thermal device and the lighting medium, whereby the latter is withdrawn from the flame by the action of heat derived therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In an electric lighting device for lamps, the combination of a resistance device capable of developing igniting heat by the passage of an electric current, means for connecting such resistance device with a suitable source of electricity and a thermal device expansible by heat acting mechanically on the resistance device and adapted to retract it from the flame after lighting, substantially as de scribed.

3. In an electric lighting device for lamps, the combination of a suitable source of electricity a heat-generating resistance in the electric circuit mounted in proximity to the lamp-wick so as to ignite the same and a metal coil mounted in position to be expanded by heat from the lamp-burner and mechanically connected with the support of the igniting medium so as to retract the same from the flame after lighting, substantially as described.

4. In an electric lighting device for lamps, the combination of a battery removably supported in the base of the lamp and a manually-operated retaining device adapted to disconnect the battery from the electric circuit and release it at the same operation so as to permit its removal from the lamp, substantially as described.

5. In an electric lighting device for lamps, the combination of an electric battery, a support therefor in the base of the lamp and a pair of manually-retractable arms, retaining the battery in position and connected respectively with the opposite poles of the battery so as to form arts of the electric circuit, subing to retract the igniting device from the stantially as escribed. 1 flame alter lighting, substantially as de 6. In a self-lighting device for lamps, the scribed. combination of an electric resistance device, SVEND MARTIN MEYER. adapted to develop igniting heat in proxiinl \Vitnesses: ity to the burner and automatic means actu- OCTAVIUS KNIGHT,

ated by heat derived from the ila1ne,-ope1'at- CHAS. H. WEBB. 

